Board of directors 2023

Deanna Ladouceur

Deanna is a certified anti-money laundering specialist with over 19 years of knowledge within the MSB sector with experience across all functions of an AML/ATF program. Over the years Deanna has used her analytic skills and experience to develop and implement systems and rule-based reports that aid in identifying higher risk behaviours. Most recently Deanna has held the position of Chief Compliance Officer/CAMLO with a large retail foreign exchange and played a leading and strategic role in the development and implementation of the anti-money laundering program in the ever changing regulatory environment. Deanna has significant expertise in regulatory changes, new product launches and being the liaison for both independent and regulatory audit and examinations.

Passions include regulatory compliance, promoting best practices and a culture of compliance.

Carinta Mannarelli President, Global Currency Services Inc.

Carinta Mannarelli founded  Global Currency Services Inc. in the year 2000.  In her role as president, she has been honoured with several awards and recognitions including Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2002 (Guelph Business Enterprise Centre), has been nominated for the YMCA’s Women of Distinction award,  has received several Employers awards and has been listed on Canada’s Top 100 Female Business Owners numerous times (published by Profit Magazine).

Karene Lewis is a Consultant and AML Compliance Ninja with Outlier Compliance Group. She has over twenty years’ experience in the financial services sector and has held various positions throughout including: Branch Manager, Manager Risk & Compliance, Business Relationship Manager and Financial Services Officer.
Karene joined the CMSBA in 2013, after attending the first annual CMSBA Fall Conference. She has been an active volunteer on several committees since, including the Conference Committee, Finance Committee and Advocacy Committee. Soon after joining the Association Karene was nominated for the position of Director at Large, on her way to becoming the Director of Membership, shortly thereafter. Over the years she has shown great dedication and commitment to growing the CMSBA membership and ensuring the obligations of the CMSBA are met, to provide a space for members and other related industry professionals to connect, learn, and share knowledge and expertise.

Marc Lemieux

Mr. Lemieux is a lawyer. He was trained in Canada’s two legal systems and is admitted to the Bars of Quebec and Ontario.

He founded Lemieux Business Law in 2015, a boutique law firm that focuses on the special needs of users and suppliers of banking, finance and payment services.

Prior to that, Me Lemieux practiced in the financial services group of a national law firm (McCarthy Tetrault, from 1990 to 2006) and a global law firm (Dentons Canada, from 2010 to 2015). He also served as Vice-President, Legal Affairs and Corporate Secretary of a publicly-traded company in the energy sector (Gaz Metro, from 2007 to 2010).

His clients include money services businesses (crypto-currency distributors, providers of FX advice and products, domestic and cross-border money remitters, and operators of ATMs) and payment service providers.

Mr. Lemieux is a sessional lecturer at McGill’s Faculty of Law, where teaches Banking and Payment Law and Banking and Credit Law.

Georgia Stocia

Georgia Stoica, has over twenty years of financial service industry experience and specializes in the regulatory compliance of money remittance activities.

She is responsible for the internal compliance, anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism and sanctions programs of Globle Foreign Exchange Inc and Trans-Fast Remittance LLC (foreign entity registered in Canada).

Prior to joining the money remittance industry, Georgia was an auditor and regulatory specialist with major banks in Canada.

Georgia received a Bachelor of International Economics and Finance, a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Business Administration in International Business from international accredited universities. She is a certified anti-money laundering professional with extensive experience in the banking and remittance industries.

President & CEO, Trustex Currency Trading Corporation

Yasser El-Riffaey is the Founder, President & CEO of Trustex Currency Trading Corporation, a company that specializes in corporate foreign exchange, helping corporations saving time and money in their FX business.

Yasser has been in the finance and foreign exchange field for more than 33 years, previously in his role as a Senior V.P. for the Americas for a large international corporation, with his extensive knowledge and experience, he created the first Virtual Trading Desk online. Yasser has served as a director on several boards of business organizations and was a member of a team raising 21 million dollars for the Spark of Life Campaign for a Neuroscience Program.

Peter Morcos, Head of AML & Compliance, WorldRemit Inc.

Peter has 9 years of experience in the financial crime sector ranging from Fraud, AML, Risk management and Compliance. He currently serves as the AML and Compliance officer for WorldRemit, one of the top 5 digital money remittances in Canada, where they facilitate sending transfers to loved ones overseas in over 150 countries through various options including bank deposit, mobile money and cash pickup. He is also a Partner for Reliance Compliance Solutions which assists financial entities across Canada with their regulatory requirements.

Peter is a finance professional, graduating with honours from Davenport University with a Bachelor of Finance, he is CAMS, CFCS, CFE and CFI certified. In his current role, Peter is responsible for overseeing independent audit reviews over AML programs and FINTRAC regulatory exams. Adjusting policies and procedures in accordance with regulatory recommendations. He is experienced with managing and maintaining regulatory compliance teams, program monitoring, analytical functions involved with PCMLTFA, Sanctions screening, training, relationship & wealth management, Anti-money laundering (AML) investigations, financial fraud investigations and KYC/CDD in international, domestic and local banks as well as in money remittance fintechs in the MSB sector.

Mike Karagias has over 32 years of Financial Retail FX experience. He is presently the President of FX sales and operations for TXH the Exchange House based in Niagara Falls a company he founded in 2005.
Prior to that Mr. Karagias worked for Royal Bank of Canada for 15 years as a part of the National Management Team that developed the national strategy in delivering FX retail service for specialized markets, such as airports and International bridge locations.
Mike is a graduate of Waterloo University has held numerous leadership roles in the past supporting community initiatives within the Niagara Region.

Michael Cox, Finance & Risk Management Director, Vancouver Bullion & Currency Exchange

Michael Cox is the Chief Compliance, Officer, ACAMS certified and Finance & Risk Management Director for Vancouver Bullion & Currency Exchange. VBCE is the leading private foreign exchange company in Western Canada which partners with the top commercial banks to deliver a wide range of FX and payment services and products to ten of thousands of customers globally.
Michael has over 20 years of extensive experience overseeing and monitoring the implementation of a compliance regime including AML. He brings a culture of leadership, guidance and supervision to all employees in matters relating to compliance and risk management.

Sheereen Khan
Sheereen is purpose-driven compliance executive and has spent the last 25+ years of her career helping CEOs within the Financial Services sector to execute the right strategy, solve complex problems, create cost-based regulatory solutions and get effective results with minimal risks.

She is renowned by local and foreign regulators for the standards she brings to the table and have been invited by them to review international standards and regulations and speak at risk conferences.

Sheereen is described by others as a respected advisor, very personable, confident communicator and one who brings clarity to complex issues".